Ever done one of these things? // July 28, 2005

1. What time did you get up this morning?
*um, you mean today - 7am. Yesterday – 0530 Day before – 0300 day before – um I didn’t sleep at all. What can I say, chaplains don’t carry regular hours. *

2. Diamonds or pearls?
*Well, here I would just go for an air conditioner that worked.*

3. What was the last film you saw at the movies?
*The Fantastic Four – it had Chinese subtitles and this dude’s head in the way. Oh, and there was a lot of coughing and laughing. And apparently the “movie pirate” had to hide the camera cause it shut off for a bit and I missed an important part of the movie. I guess that what you get for a 2 dollar bootleg.*

4. What is your favorite TV show?
*Every day when I go to lunch they are showing what’s-his-name, oh “Riley” yeah – I can’t stand him. I am certainly not a liberal but he has got to be the most obnoxious man on television. (I have to say that SNL ranks up there with the Food Network. However, I really don’t watch TV all that much. Over here, none at all. I love National Public Radio – All things considered. (even its liberal slant…) (ooh, I hope that does not affect my readership…)*

5. What did you have for breakfast?
*cereal – sometimes an omelet. They do great ones at the DFAC*

6. What is your middle name? *Ransom – why does that matter????*

7. What is your favorite cuisine?
*Italian. Hands Down. Best thing I took from New Jersey was a love for Italian cooking. Then I got to Georgia – now I’d have to say my fav cuisine is “Flintwood Farms” – Love you Caroline!!!*

9. What is your favorite chip?
*Sunchips!!! (Really. I hardly ever eat those – not much of a junk food kinda guy) Over here, I am partial to the snack bread in the MREs. Smear some processed “jalapeno spread” on it and it is delightful!!*

10. Favorite CD at the moment?
*Tough question. Man, this s hard. Thing is I listen to everything. Right now, I am in a mellow mood so Lereena Mckinnitt is crooning away. I listen to just about everything with Rap and Country coming in at the bottom and Classical Soundtracks coming in on top. *

11. What type of car do you drive?
*You have got to be kidding. I am in a war zone. I drive this tan HMMV that has armor all over it and sometimes does not start and I have to pour water over the starter. I have no idea why but the mechanic told me to and it makes my vehicle start. Go figure. Now, I get to ride around in Bradleys, uparmored M1114s, 5 ton trucks, these huge “Mad Max” looking armored semi things, M113s that are basically tracked cars and whatever else I get myself into… (it’s a boy’s dream world!!)*

12. Favorite sandwich?
*Go to the chow hall, get some bread, corned beef, tomatoes, onions, cheese and (maybe) some kind of dressing. Good junk. Actually, I make sandwiches out of whatever is in the DFAC these days.*

14. Favorite item of clothing at this time?
*Interesting question. Some days I like to sport the whole “Army thing” you know the digital cammo uniform with the name tapes? Yeah, very sexy. Then, some days, I’ll change it up and throw on a PT uniform. But mostly, I accent with some dog tags and a soft cap. Everyone around here tells me how stylish I am. Yeeeah……*

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,
where would you go?
*Um, Hello - Georgia – where else???*

16. What color is your bathroom?
*Well, there are two. There is the portajon – its gray plastic and there is the shower house – its white. Both are accented with a nice dust brown.*

17. Favorite brand of clothing?
*Thought we covered that. Are there other manufactures besides “Defense Contract #-------“?*

18. Where would you retire?
*I see a house somewhere about an half hour from a city. There is enough land in the back to have woods to hunt in, a field to play farmer in, a big hill to shoot in, and a river runs through it. The house is big enough to have my family in for parties and not so big that it takes an army of hired help to clean it. Actually, I think the watershed issue is: can I shoot in my backyard and not make the neighbors upset?*

19. Favorite time of day?
*Evening. I leave the chapel and walk up and down the rows of tents chatting with soldiers. Then there is prayer at 2100 sometimes I go some times I don’t. Its cooler than earlier and much more relaxed. *

21. Where were you born?
*Big Rapids Michigan. Home of, um, I can’t remember. Oh yeah, the Robin Hood Airport. (I think) Something like that. I just remember the Co-op. That’s the health food store where mom got groceries. They had all kinds of good stuff like ground Tahinni, soy jerky, and tofu rubens. (Those were really good as I recall)*

22. Favorite sport?
*Go to the portajon, take out my ipod, start some tunes, and thumb through a catalog. Mindless alone time. Very fun. You would understand if you were here. The portajon is the only place where you can be really alone. Unless of course the cleaner dudes come over and try to power wash the thing with you in it. What are they doing there at 1am anyway? Don’t they know that any other time it’s a sauna in there???*

25. Coke or Pepsi?
*Gross*

26. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
*That’s funny*

28. Do you have any pets?
*Well, see, there’s this sand flea that keeps biting me. I think I’m his pet. Or at least I’d like to think we have that kind of relationship. I mean, I know that others are getting bit, but I really think I have a special relationship with my friend the sand flea. His name is, well, I don’t think I know you well enough to share that just yet. *

30. What did you want to be when you were little?
*Firefighter, soldier, Cop, Lawyer, medieval warrior, teacher, pastor, symphonic conductor, warlord, king, wizard, musketeer, warrior with mystical powers, professional sports (you name it), missionary, pilot, submariner, fisherman, logger, - do I need to keep going? I had an imaginative youth….What am I saying – I am still imaginative. I still want to be everything on this list. Hmmm, I wonder what’s next……………..*

Blessings!!!!